late nights & early lights | maplegaze

[DUSKFOOT]

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[atrb=width,360,true][atrb=background,http://imageshack.us/a/img692/1461/duskfootmiddle.png] Normally the warriors did not take to doing the apprentice work; they had done their fair share of replacing moss for bedding, removing ticks and fleas from the elders, and all of the practice in between when they were just 'paws. But, on occasion, there were times when the young cats were off doing whatever it was their mentors asked of them, leaving the menial tasks open to the warriors who were not expected to be on any patrols at the time. He had been sunning himself on a nearby rock when he was asked to go and care for the queens in the nursery by changing their bedding. The quiet tom blinked, looking unfazed as he pulled himself into a brief stretch while standing. It was not exactly warm weather, not by any means, but at least the sun provided ample heat to keep the chill away. Duskfoot wondered how the queens were faring with leafbare and hoped that the kits were warm enough. Their size made them vulnerable to so many things. He pushed his way out of camp and made way to a spot that had always been fairly decent for finding moss; a shallow embankment from the river on Windclan territory. The moisture from the water spray was enough to encourage its growth. After poking around for the best clumps, Duskfoot grabbed what he could between his teeth and plodded back towards camp with his tail held high. Despite the job being more for apprentices, the tom liked being a contribution to his clan. Besides, one of the queens was at least a familiar face. He had known her since kithood. With a light step the tom wandered back into camp and straight towards the nursery. "I'm coming in," Duskfoot said, letting the queens know that they were about to have company. He wanted to avoid startling them too much. The scent of milk and kits were fresh in his nose as he pushed through the entrance and stood in the middle of the enclosure. It was warm at least. Duskfoot set the moss down on the ground. "I'm here to change the bedding," He kept his voice low as he spoke to avoid startling the kits that might be sleeping. "Hope I'm not disturbing too much." There was no hint of regret, really, considering this was his job at the moment and no matter what the queens said the bedding would need to be changed. His bright blue gaze flicked over to Maplegaze, a slightly softer look in his eyes before sitting before her, tail wrapped neatly around his paws. "You should also let me know if there's any thorns in your nest so I can get them out while I switch out the moss." He wouldn't want her tossing and turning uncomfortably. Or worse, the kittens get stuck with one. Thorns were nasty little things.

[MAPLEGAZE]

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[atrb=width,360,true][atrb=background,http://imageshack.us/a/img201/3402/maplegazemiddle.png] 'Thank StarClan it's so warm in here,' a dark brown and white she-cat whispered to herself as she ran her tongue over the back of her youngest kit. The queen had just recently returned from eating a small, scrawny rabbit from the fresh-kill pile. Her stomach still had a lingering sense of hunger to it, but it had been enough for her to have strength and to help produce the milk that her two kits still needed. They had grown quickly before her eyes, and the first-time mother couldn't be prouder to watch them squirm around with each other. Her orange and white pelted she-kit mewed loudly with excitement as she tumbled after her older brother, pawing weakly at his tail as he tried to climb over his mother's side. A soft, loving purr rumbled in Maplegaze's throat as she watched her kits, her paws lightly kneeding at the dried moss beneath her. Wincing faintly as she felt her son's small but prickly claws poke at her flesh, she couldn't help but wonder what fine warriors they would grow to be. Her son was a strong and curious tom, something she knew would assist their clan. Her daughter, on the other hand, while a bit more feeble and quite like her mother, would no doubt have a great destiny. Of course, most mothers believed their kits held a great destiny to them, or something that held them above the rest. Her tail twitching faintly as she became lost in thought, she found herself jumping a bit even when Duskfoot had made his presence quite clear. Fur bristling along her shoulders for a brief moment in an instinctive manner, she gradually flattened her fur back against her form as she looked up at the young warrior, lightly bowing her head in greeting. Watching him with careful eyes, her nervousness getting the best of her, she drew herself a bit closer to her kits. Yes, she had known Duskfoot since he had been born into this clan and knew she could trust him to protect her and all their clan when needed to, but her jumpiness kept her uneasy. It wasn't quite him who bothered her, though. She became overly-protective of her kits whenever anyone stepped into the nursery. The two kits being those of her first litter, the young mother was clearly anxious about it all, wanting to raise them perfectly. The queen's ear twitched faintly as the tom spoke, stating his business. Maplegaze simply stared at him for a moment, holding his gaze before she turned her head away and gave her shoulder a few rough licks. "Yes, some fresh moss would be nice,", she agreed quietly, her voice soft but holding little confidence. Rising onto her paws, she shook herself to release the pieces of moss that had clung onto her fur before she picked up the orange she-kit and moving to allow the warrior to work. Placing the kit back down, her daughter hardly spared a moment to scramble after her brother who both ended up tumbling back onto the dried, used moss. "Honeykit, Sootkit, get off of there. Right now," , she hissed faintly, her tail flicking impatiently.

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[DUSKFOOT]

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[atrb=width,360,true][atrb=background,http://imageshack.us/a/img692/1461/duskfootmiddle.png] [style=text-align: justify] The tom almost missed Maplegaze's response, but managed to catch her words at the last moment. She had always been a soft spoken she-cat, something he could appreciate. Duskfoot, while enjoying the noises of clan life, did like those moments of quiet. The lull. It gave him a chance to relax and think. He dipped his head in acknowledgement and watched as the queen moved her orange kit out of the nest so he could set to changing the moss. A soft, discernible glow rested in his gaze as he looked at the little kittens, amazed that in only a few months time they will be apprentices and learning all about clan life beyond the nursery. Part of him wanted to have a family, to find a mate, have kits and watch them grow up, but he was not sure that it was possible for him. Duskfoot struggled with attaching to others; who knew where the future could lead should he find someone he cared for? Maybe she would end up just like Goosefeather. Just as the young warrior stood to exchange the moss, the orange kit took off towards her sibling as fast as her little paws would carry her, knocking them both into the nest. A faint, amused chuckle rose in the back of Duskfoot's throat. "They're fine," Duskfoot soothed with an uncharacteristically gentle voice. "Better that than them being sick or unwilling to play." He would rather see this than anything else, really. If they were older apprentices he would have scolded them immediately for acting like kits, but kits were a different story. He wandered around to the back side of the nest and began removing clumps of moss that the two bundles of fur were not rolling on, and began replacing it with similar sized chunks. "You should go see your mother so I can finish making your nest soft," He suggested. Who didn't like a soft nest to lay on? Maybe that would be good incentive for them. As soon as they were clear of the bedding he finished his work and assessed it with a proud look. "There, nice and clean." Duskfoot skirted back around the nest and settled nearby, paws tucked under his chest. He did not have any other assignments for the day. Not until evening for border patrol. "Do you mind if I stay for a while? It's always soothing to be in here." If Maplegaze did not want him around, he would leave of course. Queens were always protective of their kits and sometimes they felt threatened by even their fellow clan cats. He only knew this from dealing with queens in the past. "I hope your nest is okay. I double checked for thorns." [/style]

[MAPLEGAZE]

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[atrb=width,360,true][atrb=background,http://imageshack.us/a/img201/3402/maplegazemiddle.png] Maplegaze's fur continued to bristle faintly as her tail-tip twitched as her kits either ignored her words or didn't bother to pay enough attention to her to hear them. As much as she loved her son and daughter, it was moment's like this when she wondered how they would ever be able to become warriors when they couldn't even follow simple orders such as this. But, if the queen truly thought back on it, there was no doubt in her mind that she had behaved similiarly when she was their same age. Though, given her quiet nature, she probably wasn't that much of a handful. At least, from what she could remember she hadn't been. Her ears sharply twitched as Duskfoot's voice interrupted her thoughts, her deep green eyes quickly darting in his direction to gaze at the young tom. Watching him under a careful gaze, she couldn't stop a small flicker of amusement and interest from flashing in her eyes. It had, in fact, been quite some time since she had spoken to the newly named warrior. Before the time of her kits, Maplegaze had been a credited warrior. She wasn't exactly praised by her fighting skills in battle, having always been a timid she-cat. But, she had a wonderful skill in hunting. Even with her long fur, she was able to run as swiftly and silently as the wind, able to snatch a rabbit before it even knew what had hit it. So, even with the fact that she spoke little to her clan members, she was still at least known amongst them. That had been why she had been assigned as Duskfoot's mentor when he was still only an apprentice. He had been a wonderful student and he was one of them few she didn't mind speaking to for long periods of time. Unfortunately, she had not truly been his mentor when he had been named a warrior. Maplegaze hadn't exactly planned on bearing the kits of Ashwhisker, one of the senior warriors of her clan, during her mentoring, but StarClan clearly had other plans. It had come as a surprise to both her and the older tom, and she was a bit saddened at the thought that she had to hand her apprentice over to another warrior, but she was just as proud of him when Duskfoot had been named a warrior. As the young tom began to move some of the moss around the scrambling kits, she smiled softly as she made herself relax, her nerves calming down. She had almost forgotten how nice it was to have Duskfoot there with her. Once he had finished replacing her bedding with new moss, Maplegaze gave a soft purr of satisfaction as she touched her nose to the soft, spongy moss. "Thank you, Duskfoot. I'm sure it'll be just fine." , she mewed, gently touching her muzzle to his flank before moving to rest on her newly made nest. She padded in a tight circle for a moment before settling down, her tail wrapping around her faintly before turning her eyes back to her kits where they were once again rolling around at the tom's paws. "Of course. You're welcome to stay here,", she said softly, purring quietly again.

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[DUSKFOOT]

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[atrb=width,360,true][atrb=background,http://imageshack.us/a/img692/1461/duskfootmiddle.png] While Maplegaze was irritated with her kits, Duskfoot was amused, though he kept it to himself. They needed to learn to listen to their mother and what she had to say, so laughing about their antics continually would only encourage bad behavior. Instead he watched them as he picked the moss and exchanged it, keeping his thoughts and comments internal. The kits looked so much like their parents, and to an extent it hurt. For a long time he had been infatuated with the lovely she-cat but never said anything. He always kept his emotions to himself. Perhaps not saying anything hurt more than helped, because now he would never know what could have been. Shaking all of those thoughts away and focusing instead on the moss clutched lightly in his claws, he managed to finished the job without even so much as exposing how he felt. His expression was as neutral as it was before, if only a little gentler because he was around kits. They were his soft spot. Duskfoot watched Maplegaze with a calm, blue eyed stare as she nosed around her new bedding, feeling on edge even though it was not entirely necessary. This was his past mentor, a friend, even if they did not talk often anymore. That was mostly my fault, The tom quickly took the blame, knowing that he did pull away soon after she became pregnant. He felt guilty. "Y-you're welcome. Anytime..." Duskfoot hardly managed a reply as she touched her nose to his flank, words halting in his throat but managing their way out at just the right moment. Would she catch it? He hoped not. That would not go over well and he did not really want to be caught in some sort of awkward moment that required him explaining himself. At least she was okay with him spending a little time in the nursery. This place was soothing. Maplegaze was here. It was relaxing, and away from the noise of camp. "Thanks," He mumbled a little, dipping his head to her in gratitude. Just as he became comfortable, the kits started to play nearby. Duskfoot decided to join in and reached out a paw, batting very lightly near their feet to encourage play. A rather loud and unprecedented purr rumbled in his chest. "They have so much energy," The tom noted as he moved his paw a little to allow them the chance to chase after it before moving it again. His eyes shifted from them and towards the she-cat. "How old are they now?" Duskfoot tried not to pay much attention but still curiosity could not keep him from asking.

[MAPLEGAZE]

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[atrb=width,360,true][atrb=background,http://imageshack.us/a/img201/3402/maplegazemiddle.png] With her gentle purr of comfort still rumbling deep in her chest, Maplegaze happily pressed her side into the springy moss, allowing her eyes to droop faintly. At her side, her tail-tip twitched and flicked a few times before coming to rest on the earth beside her. The queen was clearly enjoying her nest, happy to have it all to herself for at least a few moments as her kits rolled around. Her ear twitched forward as she heard the sense of uneasiness in the young tom's voice, but she hardly put any thought into it. Having known the warrior since he was a day-old kit, she felt comfortable and perhaps even a bit confident with him, which was something that was a rare thing. Not many other cats in their clan had the same affect that he had on her. In fact, only he and Ashwhisker were able to actually get a full, willing conversation out of her. No doubt her comfort with Duskfoot was the fact that she had spent a number of moons training him and getting to know him better than most. He was a very sweet, kind souled tom, something that the she-cat took joy in. In her mind, many of the other toms were always trying to show off their skills to she-cats, but the feline that rested before her was not one of them. As he spoke again, Maplegaze opened her eyes once more, looking down as her two kits clumsily bounded after Duskfoot's paw whenever he moved it. Purring with amusement, the she-cat smile as she nodded her head. "Of course. And, it takes so much time to keep up with them," she said as she curled her paws beneath her, smiling softly as a flicker of pride and love crossed her eyes as she looked at her kits. "They're almost three moons, now,"

[/color] she answered, though her ears pressed back faintly as she paused. "They're growing so fast."[/color]
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[DUSKFOOT]

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[atrb=width,360,true][atrb=background,http://imageshack.us/a/img692/1461/duskfootmiddle.png] [style=text-align: justify] "I'm sure it does," Duskfoot replied quietly, still allowing them to chase his paws with boundless energy. His tail twitched lightly in contentment, purr still rising up in his throat. He would allow them to catch his paw for a moment before moving away and making them chase again. What if I were able to have kits of my own someday? No, that would require finding a mate and moving on in life. Those were big steps, ones he was not quite sure he could manage taking any time soon or in the foreseeable future. Unless Starclan had other plans Duskfoot was going to force himself to be content with his life at the current moment. "You know if you ever need a break I can always come in and play with them," The cream colored tom offered, glancing up at her. He instantly glanced at his paws afterward. "I mean, I know Ashwhisker is fully capable but he gets busy too..." He mentally clawed at his brain, angry at himself for fumbling about his words and unable to formulate a decent sentence. Mouse-brain. For a moment he allowed his focus to shift from his self-degradation to the she-cats' gentle, motherly voice. It helped him feel at ease. Always had, even when he was a kit. "Wow, they really are growing up. Only a few more moons and they'll be training as apprentices." Kit-hood always seemed to fly by and before Duskfoot knew it he went from the safety of his mothers' warm belly and soft nest to sleeping in a den with other young apprentices and learning the ropes of being a warrior. It was a scary ordeal, he remembered, but rewarding and he learned a lot. Maplegaze had been a good mentor, as had the one who took over for the last month or two of his training. "I think they'll be strong warriors, though. Just like their mother and father." And although he did not want to involve Ashwhisker, it was true and excluding him would not make sense. Duskfoot moved his tail around so the kits could use that as a means of play as well, so they didn't have to fumble over themselves. "Maybe I'll have a chance to mentor one of them...?" He did not even look at Maplegaze this time, instead preoccupying himself with the kits. "I have Thrushpaw right now but he won't be an apprentice forever." [/style]

[MAPLEGAZE]

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[atrb=width,360,true][atrb=background,http://imageshack.us/a/img201/3402/maplegazemiddle.png] Maplegaze's deep brown eyes watched her two kits as they stumbled along on their paws to chase after Duskfoot's paws. But, for a moment, her glint of pride and happiness faded. No matter how many moons passed or how big her son and daughter grew, she knew she would always seem them as her two kits. That motherly love would never go away no matter what. Unfortunately, there would be a time when she wouldn't be able to treat them like the small kits they were now. She wouldn't be able to care for them so intently or wake up to their soft mews every sun rise. It was a saddening thought that dampened her spirits, but the moment was quick to pass. Missing the tom's first words, her ears twitched as his voice penetrated her thoughts. Blinking at him blankly for a moment, her mind struggling to register the words he had spoken to her, her response was greatly delayed. "Oh, Duskfoot, that would be wonderful." , she purred, smiling at the idea that she would be able to take some time to herself, but also that she would be able to have a chance to be around the cream-colored warrior a bit more. As he began practically retracing his steps, Maplegaze curled her tail against her side in amusement. "Oh, don't be so worried about him. You are always welcomed her, Duskfoot,"

[/color] she reassured, pausing as she ran her tongue over the fur of her foreleg before looking back up at the young warrior. "He is a loving father, but I know perfectly well that he is busy. He can't spend as much time here as he may wish to."[/color] As she silenced herself for a moment, she looked back at her two kits, tilting her head to the side faintly as she watched Sootkit scramble after Duskfoot's tail. But, Honeykit seemed uninterested now in their previous activity. Instead, she sat a bit awkwardly in between Maplegaze and Duskfoot, her tail swaying from side to side before mewing up at the tom, her eyes sparkling with interest.
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[DUSKFOOT]

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[atrb=width,360,true][atrb=background,http://imageshack.us/a/img692/1461/duskfootmiddle.png] Duskfoot figured that perhaps the queen had not heard him at first, and considered repeating himself before holding back. Maybe she wasn't in the mood to chat anymore, or was distracted by her kits. Either way the tom merely flicked an ear and continued to distract himself with her little ones. She finally responded, blue eyes briefly flicked up to look at her face. He felt relief flood his heart, whiskers wriggling faintly with happiness. "Just let me know when you need some time off and I'll be glad to entertain them for a while." If he couldn't have kits of his own, might as well enjoy the ones that were around the camp already. Well, maybe he would be able to be a father one day but he was not an optimistic cat. Duskfoot drew his ears back. "I'm...I'm not worried about him." Oh, of course the tom was worried about Ashwhisker. Had he not had an emotional attachment to Maplegaze he would be fine but as it was he had a stronger bond with the she-cat than he thought he should have. It made him feel guilty. A bad feeling that liked to churn in his stomach every time he thought about it. "Yeah, he's busy a lot. But at least he's a good warrior." He could give Ashwhisker that recognition, considering it was true. Duskfoot was a humble cat and never felt any urge to try and one up the senior warrior. That would be fruitless. He noticed that Honeykit decided to leave his tail alone for the time being, sitting between himself and her mother. He wondered what it was she was thinking. Her little mewl caused him to blink as he looked down at her, a light purr rumbling in his chest. "You're a pretty kit, you know that?" Duskfoot asked the kit softly. "Just like you're mother." His voice was low, almost a mumble; he was not even sure if Maplegaze had heard it. He sort of hoped she hadn't.

[MAPLEGAZE]

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[atrb=width,360,true][atrb=background,http://imageshack.us/a/img201/3402/maplegazemiddle.png] Maplegaze smiled at the orange and white furred she-kit, a soft purr rumbling in her chest as she began to run her tongue over her fur once more. That had been one of the things she had always done. She liked to remain clean and keep her fur from becoming tangled. Tangles in long fur was never a pleasant thing and it was always a hassle to get said tangles out. She had learned that lesson when she was a younger she-cat after refusing to really groom herself after returning from a hunting patrol. She had worked the next day until sun high to get rid of the knots that had twisted in her long fur. As her two kits went on with playing with the young tom that rested in front of her, the queen would occasionally glance at the three out of the corner of her eye, but paid little attention to them. Her kits were safe and enjoying the free time to play and she was relaxing while being comforted by the company of her good friend. Maplegaze was quite amused by her daughter's behavior, curious as to why she was suddenly so interested in the tom, but she said nothing. Curling on herself lightly to reach her flank, her ear twitched just barely as she heard Duskfoot speak. For a moment, her heart swelled with pride, having always loved being commented on her kits. But, her motions stilled for a moment as she caught something she was sure she wasn't suppose to hear. To say the she-cat hadn't been expecting such a comment from her friend would be an understatement. And, for a moment, she felt her fur prickle with a sense of surprise and another emotion she couldn't quite name. Determined that she wasn't actually meant to hear that, judging by the hushed tones of his voice, Maplegaze quickly returned to her task at hand, hoping her moment of hesitation hadn't given her away. Beside her, Honeykit smiled brightly as she stood up on her hind legs, her form wobbling as she pressed her small paws to Duskfoot's muzzle, mewing again.